Author: staff
Artificial intelligence is fast becoming a strategic asset, promising economic prosperity and military dominance to those who master it. But as G7 leaders gather in France for the third day of their summit to discuss AI, fears of a potential American “kill switch” have rarely felt more real. France placed AI at the heart of its G7 presidency from the outset, convening Western leaders, partner countries and top tech executives to discuss how to ensure “a safe, rapid and effective deployment of artificial intelligence.” French President Emmanuel Macron, facing the G7 spotlight for the last time before his mandate expires…
Updated: 17/06/2026 – 18:00 GMT+2 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this June 17th, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday said her government would not take the initiative to introduce a social media ban on teens like those in the works in France, the U.K and other countries. “I am not against a social media ban for under 16s, but I am not either convinced that this proposal alone can solve the problem because that type of ban can be easily circumvented,” Meloni told reporters at the end of a G7 summit. Stating that a ban risks “to partially transfer the problem on families,” Meloni said restrictions can also be…
Published on 17/06/2026 – 16:25 GMT+2 Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has undergone a successful lung transplant at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, the Royal palace has announced. Mette-Marit, 52, was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis, a condition which causes lung scarring and difficulty breathing. “I have had occasional health challenges for a number of years, and now we know more about their underlying causes,” Mette-Marit said at the time, adding that the condition could affect her work schedule at times. Arnt Fiane, a professor of medicine at the University of Oslo and a cardiothoracic surgeon, expressed…
Luigi Mangione plans to assert a psychiatric defence at his state murder trial, claiming he was suffering from extreme emotional disturbance when he gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a judge said Wednesday. That could mean less prison time if he’s convicted. A jury that accepts such a defence would be obliged to convict Mangione of manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, instead of murder, which could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. An emotional disturbance defence isn’t available in Mangione’s federal case, where he also faces a possible life sentence.…
Wadephul also echoed comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said at a summit of G7 leaders Tuesday that he could be ready to deploy fighter jets and frigates quickly, but that a request to do so must come not only from the U.S. but also from Iran and Oman. “Germany needs to know whether such a mission is even possible in that maritime area. That means the coastal states must give their consent,” he said. “So far, there has been at least some ambiguity on the Iranian side — even words of rejection. I don’t know if that’s the…
The United Kingdom’s Minister for EU relations, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said that his government is on course to sign a triple deal designed to bolster post-Brexit cooperation with the European bloc when both sides convene for a summit on 22 July. The deal would seek to slash barriers to agri-food trade by aligning sanitary and phytosanitary rules, bring the UK back into the EU’s internal electricity market and grant special visas to young Europeans and Brits under a youth experience scheme. “Of course, we will get moments of difficulty, as you always do in the final parts of the negotiations, but…
Iran’s hardline establishment is framing the US-Iran framework deal as proof that Tehran outlasted Washington rather than as a concession, even as questions persist over how much control the IRGC exercised over its terms. IRGC’s Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani made his first public appearance in months on Monday night to discuss the deal, telling Iranian state television that the Bab al-Mandeb Strait “is fully in the hands of the guys in Hezbollah, the (Houthis) in Yemen, and even some of the comrades and children of resistance who are not Yemeni.” The remark on Bab-al Mandeb — which links the…
Published on 17/06/2026 – 16:30 GMT+2 A floating bookshop has just dropped anchor in one of Paris’ most iconic spots – right at the foot of the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral – and its founders are calling it “the biggest book box in Paris.” The barge called Nanna, located on the Quai de Montebello, opened this month and will remain at the site for the next ten years. Visitors can browse a self-service collection of more than 5,000 works – organised by category, with a particular emphasis on women authors alongside French classics, world literature, poetry and drama – and borrow…
Orbán lost April’s election, but he remains the leader of the Fidesz party. Fidesz MEPs are part of the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament, alongside those of France’s National Rally, led by Jordan Bardella. “Our election defeat does not change the historically decisive fact that, in Europe, the patriotic political parties’ progress is continuing,” Orbán said, adding that the Patriots for Europe faction still has one representative in the European Council, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. “I am convinced this progress could only be stopped if the leadership of the EU could present some success.” EU leaders…